A Life Altering Experience

So some people have asked me "what do you do at these conventions you go to?" Well today I have an answer! I learn about cool things, cool things that involve MEAT! Cool things like the Bacon Explosion"

"What is that?" you may ask...

Bacon, wrapped in Pork sausage, wrapped in bacon. Then smoked to greasy goodness.

Eating it is a life altering experience. (maybe because of the impending heart attack)

There are so many variations that it could become and many flavors to be enjoyed.

For more info go to http://www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/recipes/bacon-explosion/

"Casual" Worship?

Our church started a new service today. We have been working on it for about two months, and today was the culmination of everyone's efforts. The service is designed to be more contemporary with a Casual feel. The music is lead by a band, with lead and backup vocals, the songs are current, jeans are fine, coffee is served, and there are no "rules" about how you have to act during the service, Just as long as we are worshiping. 

The service went very well, and everyone was pleased (even the techyest of the tech people.) I've seen and heard from many people that the "Casual Worship Service" was good. What bothers me is the terminology we are using. How can worship be casual? I get it, the word casual is modifying the Service not Worhsip, but I'm not sure that the average unchurched person would understand this. 

How could you have an experience with A living God, proclaiming his majesty and greatness and be casual about it? Its not really possible. I guess that it IS possible but not very plausable. If you worship casually then you really aren't worshiping. 

What if the Seraphs in Isaiah 6 had been worhsiping Casually? 

2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they sort of covered their faces, with two they almost covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were Mumbling to one another: 
       "Holy, holy, holy is the lord Almigmmnb; 
       the whole earth is full of his glor."

 ⁴ At the sound of their voices no one was impressed, and they really didn’t care. Not much fuss was made.

What would God have done or said? Is God accepting of Mediocare? Is Mediocare good enough for God? OBVIOUSLY NOT!

I know its just words that we are using but sometimes we use the right words in the wrong way and end up saying something we don't really mean. Something that could give the wrong impression to someone who really needs to Experience God and all that he is about, all he is doing, and all his glory. Nothing casual about that!

What do you think?

Easter

"The best Easter celebrations start at Dillon's" (Kroger)

So I haven't blogged in a year. Not for any reason other than I just haven't done it. Well something has been bugging me for a while now and it is a stupid commercial from Dillon's grocery store.  The top line is a quote from said commercial, and that is what bothers me. I want to scream at the TV "EXCUSE ME, BUT I THOUGHT THE BEST EASTER CELEBRATIONS STARTED AT THE CROSS! MY BAD!"

I know its a small thing but really, and they are a secular orginization and all but can't we edit that commercial? It should say, "The best Easter meals start at Dillon's." I know we as Americans celebrate food and all but lets stop lying already. 

Really I blame the Christians. We've screwed up so bad that we've allowed the world to take over and pervert the most important religious holiday we have. WHY? Because we have done a lousy job of spreading the Gospel. 

This Sunday, we should remember our Lord & Saviour's resurrection, but not just on that day. We should celebrate it 365 days each year, and as we do so we should take the time to share the Good news & Hope we have in Christ. 

Wishing you and everyone you know a blessed Lord's day a swe remember his Final sacrifice for our lives!j

What good does it do...

So here is a thought that I have been mulling over for he last couple of months...

I get these e-mails from various "Christian" groups. Things like, "Obama defends "discarding" life" and "Let's overwhelm Obama on Capitol Hill today" or "Pepsi refuses to be neutral in the culture war, remains the leading corporate sponsor of homosexual group." Each one asking me (and everyone else they sent it too) to either make a donation or "get involved" by taking some predetermined action.

The thought that I have about this is, "What good does it do?" I also think, "why do they spend so much energy, time, and resources FIGHTING the opposition? Was that Jesus' example? Could our money be put to better use?" I mean what would happen if these groups took the money they get in donations, the time they use sending out email, and FIGHTING the enemy into 1 Loving God, 2 Loving People, and 3 Sharing Jesus with the very people they are fighting?

Now I hate the overused phrase WWJD, but we have to ask ourselves is this the approach that Jesus would use to change a lost world, or more accurately what DID he do? I know that there are times recorded in the Bible that Jesus was as one pastor put it "PISSED" and acted in righteous anger, but was that his normal approach? I don't think it was. Most of what we read in the Bible is Jesus interacting with the "worst" people in society. He accepted them where they were at, told them about God/His love, asked them to believe in him, and then let them make up their mind. Once they accepted his way they were CHANGED! Not just a superficial change but a life altering, for real honest and sincere change.

Wouldn't we be better served by leaving our "Big Stick" approach to fighting the sin in the world and following a lifestyle of personal evangelism? We may still have to pick-up a bullwhip now and then but it should be the exception instead of the rule.

Not that I have already obtained this lifestyle, but the approach of many Christian groups just doesn't sit very well with me right now. Since I am not the kind of person that likes to identify a problem and not present a solution here is a proposition/challenge/dare.

Stop fighting, start loving, start serving, start sharing Jesus with those who do not already accept Jesus as their saviour. Take the time, money, and resources that are typically used in the battle and put them into teaching people to be evangelists, leading people (By example) in evangelism, and start changing the world. ONE LIFE AT A TIME. Remember, Success isn't labeled by "decisions" but by OBEDIENCE. Wouldn't all of the "problems/Issues" that we spend so much time fighting all but go away if we loved God enough to share his transforming power with others?

I think that if we were to show them a better life through Christ and then let HIM change people we wouldn't have a need for such sensational titles as those that find their way into my inbox.


I hope in the days ahead that I will be obedient in sharing my faith with someone.

A Chat with God

Its been a while since I have posted so I hope I remember how to do this...

I had a chat with God this morning. My wife was heading to surgery today and neither one of us had a really comfortable feeling with that. It wasn't anything that was life threatening or "serious" but still a surgery, and SCARY!

This is not the first time that she has had a surgery, and I don't know why this one seemed to be a bigger deal. I'll throw out some theories: 1. Age. Meaning that we are no longer in the "21 and bullet proof" stage of life. 2. We have a child and it scares us that something might happen to leave him with only one or no parents. 3. Relationship status. I've often heard it said that you love your mate more the longer you are married. It is true! 4. Dependancy. I have come to rely on, depend on, lean on, run to, and seek support from my wife and it scares me that I may not be able to have that. I'm addicted to her. 5. I hold on to things too tightly. Nuff Said. 6. It represents a lack of control. Even though I am fairly laid back, I still like to be in control.

So here is my convo with God this morning. Not in exact words but the general tone or theme. For the last few days I have been letting God know that I didn't want to loose my wife. I knew that I could go on but that I didn't like the idea or want that to happen. This morning was somewhat different. I had a realization that all of the above are true of me and especially in this situation. I simply said Ok God, I trust YOU. I know that you have my best interest in mind as well as hers. I know that you have a plan that is bigger than my desires and I trust you to do what you know is best. I surrender her to you, knowing that she is not mine but yours. If you decide to leave her I will be greatfull, IF you decide to take her I will accept that. Maybe not as gracefully, or easily as you would like, but I TRUST YOU.

Let me tell you that was not an easy thing to say. I truely thought that I would lose my wife in surgery today, I was petrified! I did not lose her (THANK YOU LORD) and now my fear is diminished.

Merry Christmas!

Just a note to say Merry Christmas to All (meaning one) my readers. Remember the reason for the season... that Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby to be the propitiation for our sins.

Remember the 18 greatest words ever spoken...

Luke 2:11

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord.

Politics, Favoritism & the Church?

In reference to the title of this blog: One of these things is not like the other...

1 Timothy 5:21
I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

James 2:1
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.

James 2:9
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

I've been silent for a while now and it it time to break my silence. No I didn't take a vow of silence, I've just been rather busy, and truth be told didn't have anything to write about.

Well now I do...

In college I was part of a group that was supposed to be the elite of the elite. (Obviously since I was a part of it they weren't that picky.) What I found out during those 4 years is that it wasn't really anything but a big political machine. No we weren't the young republicans or young democrats but everything was politically motivated.

What I mean is that everything had a motive. To be the star you had to kiss some major gluteus maximus, be "in" with the right people, and pretend to be a certain way. If you did not do any of those things you weren't really anyone, oh sure you were a part of the group but you didn't get any breaks.

This isn't all that hard to swallow in the world as they know no other way to operate other than trying to impress someone and "WIN" their prestige. They scramble to know the 3 W's: Know What to kiss, Know Who's to kiss, and know When to kiss it and the attention it brings is the reward. What is sad (great understatement)is when this happens in churches.

Now what really bugs me about this is that Leaders usually get their posterior kissed so that someone can gain favor, a position, status, stage time etc. The wise leader knows this and is on the look out for it. All too often though leaders don't see what is going on and acquiesce to the Tulips being planted. Without even realizing it some leaders become incapacitate by this whole movement. The end result is that only the Tulip planters are asked to do anything and become major forces in the church. The ministry suffers, and the church becomes in raveled in "Church Politics."

At the heart of this is ego and favoritism. Lets face it, we all like to have our egos stroked now and then. It feels good! So where do we go wrong? When we start to have the attitude that it feels so good to have my ego stroked that I no longer see anyone but the Tulip planters. Then if you don't stroke my ego, well you don't deserve to have a spot in this that or the other. When we show favoritism to those who play the games to get what they want, that is when it gets bad, very bad!

Clearly the Bible teaches against showing favoritism to someone because of their status, wealth, or position. But what about showing favoritism to those who use political means to get what they want from us? That sort of political maneuvering, ego stroking, and favoritism can't be acceptable, can it?

Leading takes some serious effort. The very nature of leadership is difficult, you have to be out front, the one cutting the trail, pushing thru the snow, showing the others which way to go. To be a leader is sometimes equal to being a 24 point buck in the middle of a field of hunters on opening day of hunting season, you ARE the target. Sometimes its easier to just step back and follow, other times its easy to let the position go to your head, and then again sometimes we don't even realize we aren't leading anymore.

Cause or effect? Does showing favoritism cause a leadership vacuum or is favoritism the effect of a leadership vacuum? Regardless of which you think it is, the Bible is clear that we are not supposed to do it, no favoritism allowed, even of yourself. Try this one on for size...

Romans 12
Living Sacrifices
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Love
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Don't know bout you, but that doesn't fit too well. Its kind of like a suit that is too small and dipped in starch. It doesn't fit and is uncomfortable.